African violet plant named Improved Virginia

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of African violet named Improved Virginia characterized by its single violet-shaped, bright pink flowers with frilled edges and darker center; strong, upright flower stems that curve slightly toward the center to form a compact bouquet above the leaves; medium green oval to heart-shaped, slightly serrated leaves; profuse flowering, vigorous and compact growth habit, flowering 10-11 weeks after potting, and its long lasting and non-dropping flowers.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Africanviolet plant, botanically known as Saintpaulia ionantha, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name Improved Virginia.

The new cultivar was referred to during the breeding and selectionprocess by the designation I 16/3 and is a product of a planned breedingprogram. The basic objective of the breeding program was to create a newAfrican violet cultivar improving certain characteristics of thecultivar Virginia, disclosed in my U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,268, grantedJune 20, 1978. The new cultivar was originated from a cross made by mein the controlled breeding program in Haffen, Federal Republic ofGermany. The female, or seed parent was a cultivar designated F 64/2.The male, or pollen parent was a cultivar designated Illinois ros.

Improved Virginia was discovered and selected by me as a flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment inHaffen, West Germany. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by leafcuttings, as performed by me at Haffen, West Germany, has demonstratedthat the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the newcultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations ofasexual reproduction.

Improved Virginia has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and day length. Thefollowing observations, measurements and values describe the newcultivar as grown in a 10 cm pot in Haffen, West Germany and Nashville,Tenn. under greenhouse conditions which closely approximate thosegenerally used in commercial practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Improved Virginia, which in combinationdistinguish this African violet as a new and distinct cultivar:

(1) Strong, upright flower stems curving slightly toward the center.

(2) Single violet-shaped, bright pink, frilled flowers.

(3) Each plant carries 7-9 and more upright flower stems each of whichcarries 5-8 and more flowers.

(4) Long lasting, non-dropping flowers.

(5) Vigorous and compact grower.

(6) Plant saleable 10 to 11 weeks after potting.

(7) Seed capsules push slightly through.

(8) Oval to heart-shaped medium green, slightly serrated leaves.

(9) After maturity the flowers dry off and remain on the pedunclewithout becoming infected by botrytis.

The new cultivar is most similar to, and was specifically intended toimprove upon the characteristics of, my previously patented cultivarVirginia. In comparison to Virginia, the new cultivar is principallydistinguished by its smaller and longer lasting blooms, and by its morecompact growth habit.

The accompanying color photographic drawing shows a typical specimenplant of the new cultivar. The colors appearing in the photograph are astrue as possible with color illustrations of this type.

In the following description, color references are made to the RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (RHS), except where general colors ofordinary significance are referred to. Color values were taken undernatural sunlight conditions at approximately 1 p.m. in Nashville, Tenn.

Botanical classification: Saintpaulia ionantha, Ramat., c.v. ImprovedVirginia.

Parentage:

Male parent.--Illinois ros.

Female parent.--F 64/2.

Propagation: The new cultivar holds its distinguishing characteristicsthrough successive propagations by leaf cuttings.

Plant: From 9 cm to 11 cm tall when grown in pots, and approximately24-28 cm in diameter when fully grown.

Leaves.--General form: Oval to heart-shaped. Diameter: 60-70 mm.Texture: Young leaves velvety, old leaves leatherlike. Aspect: Hairy,shiny, slightly serrated. Veins: Upperside: well visible, at centerbrighter green than the rest of the leaf; underside: very wellpronounced, light green with occasional slight purplish touch, shiny.Color (upperside): Yellow-green group 147 A and darker. Color(underside): Greyed-green group 194 C with touches of greyed-purplegroup 186 A. Petiole: Strong upright, green, purplish brown on sidetowards flowers, hairy.

Flowers.--Buds: Ball-shaped, 7-8 mm just before opening, pinkish green.Sepals: Five (5). Color: Brownish green. Calyx: Shape: Funnel-shaped.Aspect: Spear-shaped, hairy. Peduncle: Character: Strong upright, hairy.Color: Purplish red. Individual flowers: Size: 40-50 mm. Shape: Singleviolet-shaped (3 large, 2 small petals) with frilled edges. Color(upperside): Red-Purple Group 73 A; center almost Red-Purple Group 71 C.Under cooler temperatures and more intensive lighting, the pink tends tointensify. Color (underside): Red-Purple Group 73 B to C. Borne: Eachflower stem carries 5-8 and more flowers on strong, upright pedunclethat are free standing above the leaves, thereby forming a compactbouquet. Flowering habit: Flowers 10-11 weeks after potting.

Reproductive organs.--Stamens: Two (2). Anthers: 2 composed of 4 anthercells, seed capsule pushes slightly through. Filaments: Yellowish green,4-5 mm long. Pollen color: Yellow Group 7 A. Styles: 6 mm long, pink,base of ovary light green and hairy.

Roots.--Normally developed, white when young, turning slightly brownishwhen older.

Disease resistance: Good.

General observations: Improved Virginia is a very attractive, vigorousand compact grower with medium green, oval to heart-shaped, slightlyserrated leaves. A tight bouquet of flowers free standing above theleaves develops after approximately 10-11 weeks. Each of the 7-9 andmore strong flower stems carries 6-8 and more single violet-shaped,bright pink flowers with frilled edges. The pink color is darker in thecenter contrasting nicely with the bright yellow anthers. The flowersare long-lasting and non-dropping and the seed capsules push slightlythrough.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of African violet named ImprovedVirginia, as described and illustrated, and particularly characterizedby its single violet-shaped, bright pink flowers with frilled edges anddarker center; strong, upright flower stems that curve slightly towardthe center to form a compact bouquet above the leaves; medium green ovalto heart-shaped, slightly serrated leaves; profuse flowering, vigorousand compact growth habit, flowering 10-11 weeks after potting, and itslong lasting and non-dropping flowers.